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Monday, August 25, 2014

Organized Work Stations

Well, it is that time of year again...back to school. You know what that means, it is time to get ORGANIZED!!! It is time to make those dreamy trips to office supply stores and smile at all the adorable school supplies and crafts. I am a bit of a supply queen - I love brand new office, teacher, and craft supplies (esp. Sharpies and Post-Its). With all of these great goodies, it is easy to spread clutter and disorganization all over your home. Using three organizational items, I have been able to keep all of our essential supplies neat and tidy. Plus, since I home school (and we started our lessons mid July) I have already had the opportunity to use these items and make changes to meet our needs. I guess you could say I have given this system a crash course and it passed with flying colors!

THE TRIPLE THREAT TO KEEP SUPPLIES ORGANIZED:

Individual sized dry-erase board w/marker and eraser (Wal-Mart)

Medium sized caddy, bucket, or basket (Dollar Tree)

Small bucket, tin, or basket (Hobby Lobby - I have recently seen these at Dollar Tree, as well.)

The dry-erase board is great for so many things. It is awesome to use in place of paper when practicing math, spelling words, letters/numbers, and handwriting. I know my kids find it fun to use, which always makes things easier in my house. It could also be used for chore lists, homework lists, and small notes to one another. The list is really endless. Plus, the boards I purchased are also magnetic which makes me love them that much more. My kids have gotten so much use out of these boards.

I LOVE the medium sized baskets from Dollar Tree. I have used them in several areas around the house. They are perfect for most craft and school supplies. It really helps to keep all essential supplies in one location. It keeps the panic and frustration down when kids are trying to do homework and moms are trying to cook dinner... :)

I customize each basket based on the child's age and supply needs. My nine year old's basket holds different items compared to my six year old and four year old.

Aren't those little metal buckets the cutest? I have had those for a couple of years. We have used them from pencil holders, to ticket keepers (for rewards), all the way to paper clips, push pins, and anything else small. Originally, I bought these at Hobby Lobby. However, I was excited to see them at Dollar Tree a couple of weeks ago. The kids really enjoy using their favorite colors, as you can tell. It makes it fun and they get super excited when I add new things in "their own color".

These work stations could be used any where in the house and they are really affordable to put together. If you didn't want to purchase new items, you could fill the basket and bucket with craft supplies, markers, crayons, etc. that you already have on hand. You could even tuck a small snack or treat in the basket for after school munchies. There really are endless possibilities, but most importantly, those possibilities are neat and tidy. :)